Wednesday, December 12, 2007

During the months of October and November, Simon Koolwijk trained 12 members from Spectrum, Scouting Gelderland and Osmose in facilitation skills. During a training of six days they learned methods on how to activate and mobilize groups. The participants practised with methods such as open space, workshop method, action planning and focus group discussions.
For more information get in touch with Simon Koolwijk

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

During the most of september several capacity development advisors from ICCO were trained in various organisational advisor's skills.

On the 10th and 11th September I conducted together with Marieke Veeger, capacity development advisor of ICCO working in Bolivia, a training in facilitation methods for two advisors who are going to work Honduras. One advisor will focus on communication strategies, and the other will guide and counsel youth in urban areas.On the 26th and 27th September two advisors were trained in Project Planning, monitoring and evaluation for capacity building. One advisor will work for the University in Nampula, Mozambique promoting Problem based learning, while the other will work with an agricultural research institute in Eritrea promoting linking best practises in research with farmer's needs.

On the 4th and 5th October a similar training was conducted for two advisors who will work on value chain development in Nicaragua. They will guide producers, market actors and support agents in the value chain's of cotton, sesame seed, forest products, cacao and fruits.

Participants assessed the trainings very useful: Some comments:

' A lot of good information, discussion and indication to sources'

' It’s very useful to participate in this kind of course, before going to work in the field. Well done Simon!'

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

On the 28th and 29th August 2007, I conducted a training in Capacity Development for the Hendrik Kreamer Institute in Utrecht. There I trained 8 development advisors in techniques for organisational development. Most participants are going to work for ICCO, assisting local partners in improving their service delivery.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

On the 24th and 25th July 2007 I conducted a training in facilitation methods for the Moldova Social Investment Fund (MSIF) and Procommunitate in Moldova. Both organisations are activite in empowering poor communities in Moldova in rehabilitating and sustaining their social infrastructure (schools, roads, water supply, facilities for disabled and youth and gassupply).

Moldova is currently suffering from heavy migration. During the last five years around 400,000 - 600,000 migrated to countries in Western Europe and Russia to look for work. Remittancies are at the moment the biggest major income. It is estimated that these are 5 - 10 times the amount of the National Gross Income.

Despite the changes, MSIF and Procommunitate support communities to sustain their social structures for the long term. Moldova has still a lot of potential. Recent developments show that through investment friendly legislation companies are investing in Moldova, and new jobs are being created.

Facilicom Consult is building partnerships with MSIF, Procommunitate and other organisations to support the social and economic development of the country.

On the 24th and 25th July 2007 I conducted a training on facilitation methods for staff members of the Moldova Social Investment Fund (MSIF) and Procommunitate. Both organisations are focused at empowering poor communities in villages and small cities in Moldova.

Moldova is at the moment heavily affected by high rates of migration. During the last five years around 300,000 to 600,000 people left the country to look for work in other countries. It is estimated that the income from remittancies is 5 to 10 times higher than the Gross National Income. MSIF and Procommunitate however, support communities to sustain their structures (roads, schools, gassupply, facilities for disabled and youth) so that a good basis will be created for sustainable development on the long term. Recent developments show that conditions for investment and creation of employment have become much better.

Facili2transform is involved in building partnerships in strengthening the potential for the country. Here some photo impressions.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

On the 7th and 8th June, 2007 I facilitated a workshop in community development methods at the IBB - Conference in Minsk - Belarus. IBB is a German organisation which has developped partnerships with local organisations and UNDP in promoting Local Agenda 21 in Belarus. ECEAT is one of the partners of IBB and is involved in promoting sustainable tourism in the North of Belarus. I demonstrated a number of workshops to make the participants, most NGO and government representatives, acquainted with participative methods. I also conducted a conflict management workshop, where participants expressed that the conflict strategies of Avoidance and Acceptance are the most common. "Strategies of competing and win-win will not work for Belarus", expressed the participants. The strategy of making " Compromises" might be the way forward on how to strenghten partnerships in Belarus.

Monday, June 4, 2007

On the 30th & 31st May 2007 Facili2transform conducted a Business Planning for Natoe. Natoe is intending to offer services for linking companies with NGO's and governmental institutions stressing the different perspectives in the diversity of people.

Above some impressions of the 2 day business planning event.

In case you are interested in a business planning event for your organisation, feel free to contact me.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Some impressions of the training on the 23rd May 2007. (Participants and Joitske Hulsebosch)

Hi Everybody,

Recently together with Steven Scheer (Guldenregel) and Joitske Hulsebosch

( Blog: http://joitskehulsebosch.blogspot.com/ ), we trained 8 staff members from Kontakt der Kontinenten in new technologies for e-cooperation. The training was composed of a theoretical background of e-cooperation (eg. synchroon and a-synchroon tools), working with a forum discussion, how to conduct a skype meeting and how to make a drawing through watching each other pc by distance.

The training contributed to a wider understanding on how to apply e-tools for better co-operation at distance within and outside The Netherlands.

For more information about e-cooperation tools, contact Simon Koolwijk at e-mail. faccom@xs4all.nl

Friday, May 11, 2007

From 21st - 28th April 2007 a delegation from the Moldova Social Investment Fund (MSIF) and Procommunitate visited The Netherlands. Main theme of this study tour was Community & Youth Development. We visited a number of municipalities, e.g. Renkum/ Oosterbeek, Stolwijk and Haaksbergen. We met with a number of counsellors/ elders from the local municipalities, youth workers, board members from community based organisations (football club, women's group, swimming pool, school) and we visited a number of youth centres. In addition the team members received training on conflict management and facilitation methods at Kontakt der Kontinenten. www.kontaktderkontinenten.nl

Friday, April 20, 2007

Together with Mr. Gerard Verbeek from Synergo Consult I conducted on the 16th, 17th and 18th April 2007 a Project Cycle Management - Logical Framework training for Red een Kind (Help a Child). This organisation focusses on empowering Children at Risk in development countries. Help a Child is active in Eastern Africa and in a number of countries in Asia.

During the training 10 staff gained skills in planning, monitoring & evaluation, and made a plan of action on how to integrate the programmatic approach in their Child Sponsoring Program.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Last week I trained three advisors from ICCO in facilitation methods. The advisors will play a major role in improving external communication of Non Governmental Organisations in Bolivia, Ethiopia and Honduras. One of the local organisations focuses on mainstreaming Aids/ HIV issues with their development partners in Ethiopia, while the other two organisations stress the right of indigenous people and farmers. Hereby some photo impressions of the training.

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Last week I conducted on the 3rd and 4th April 2007 a 2 days training on how to facilitate a capacity assessment & planning with Non-Governmental Organisations. This training was part of a 4-days course on Capacity Development with the Hendrik Kraemers Institute in Utrecht. Seven people contracted by ICCO, CMC and KerkinActie participated. They are going to work for local NGO's in Africa and Latin America.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Nijmegen, 5th April 2007

Last week, 29th March 2007, a training was conducted on Organisational analysis and capacity development in Nijmegen. Together with the participants we shared about theories and practicalities of capacity development, discussed about tools such as IC-scan, IOM and the Strategic Orientation Round for Strategic Decision making.

Another training on Capacity Assessment and Development will be planned in June/ July 2007. For more information, e-mail to Simon Koolwijk, faccom@xs4all.nl

Saturday, March 17, 2007

On the 13th March 2007 I facilitated a workshop for the Disaster Management Unit of ICCO. Recently ICCO has merged with KerkinActie. The Disaster Management Programmes have also merged, and therefore shared goals, tasks and roles and a plan of action were formulated. This was done during a one-day workshop on the 13th March.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Last week I facilitated two planning events on Local Agenda 21 in the North of Belarus. In Rossony District plans were made to initiate sustainable ecological initiatives. Working groups were formed who will execute projects on realizing 1) Tourism infrastructure, 2) Green Economy, 3) Ecological Education, 4) Nature protection.

Some interesting projects which will be initiated the coming months are 1) Establishing a boat tour between three cities, 2) Promoting a crafts fair, 3) Making maps of tours, 4) Opening a new regional museum of crafts, 5) cultural tours, 6) Attract eco-volunteers, 7) Organize ecological tours.

In Lepel District preperations were made for a Local Agenda 21 meeting to be organized in April 2007. Citizens are working now on involving the key stakeholders. The LA 21 meeting in April will be combined with promotion of crafts and the promotion of touristical information.

Sunday, March 4, 2007

This weekend I facilitated together with 3 trainers from Stichting Mondiale Samenleving a training course in facilitation methods. The training was conducted for participants who are member of "Diaspora Selforganisations" who are based in The Netherlands. Most of these organisations support and assist their members in finding their way in The Netherlands (with training, advice and counsel support) or build ties with development projects in their country of origin. For more impressions of the training, find some photographes at:http://tinyurl.com/yvncmf

Stichting Mondiale Samenleving plays a major role in building their members organisations' capacities by providing training, advice and counselling support. SMS is located in Utrecht. For more information consult. Internet: http://www.sms-vluchtelingen.nl/

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Last week I facilitated for Milieukontakt International a business planning for their International Trainers team. After conducting a market analysis, the Milieukontakt Trainers Team (MITT) formulated their mission, vision, strategies, product portfolio, marketing & communication strategy, budget and finance plan.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

This week I was very much involved in conducted skype conference meetings with ICCO advisors working in Africa and Latin-America who assist local partner organisations in strengthening their capacities to do service delivery.

Some issues which came up were: " How to deal with the high dropout rates of capable staff within NGO's and CBO's when they leave for another organisation?", " How to deal with a dominant director?" "How to deal with the lecture way of teaching of local consultants?" Through interactive exchange by our skype teleconference conversations we came to some new insights. One of the advisors brought up her questions into a D-group (a listserver group), where she asked for some feedback and response from other advisors to get more enlightment and different perspectives.

For all the issues where my colleagues and myself are dealing with, I would like to refer to two papers written by Rick James from Intrac. :

1. Unsettling times for Civil Society Capacity Building - John Haily & Rick James http://www.intrac.org/docs.php?id=2535 From research done by Intrac it shows that there are similarities over different countries in dealing with capacity development of organisations. Especially the contextual, external factors play an important role in accomplishing visible results with a CB intervention.

2. ‘Leaders Changing Inside Out’ - Rick James. This paper describes on how to deal with dominant leaders in an organisation. This paper provide us new insights on his analysis and tips on leadership change and organizational development. http://www.intrac.org/resources_database.php?id=60

Regards and in case you have some comments to add, please feel free to contact me.

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Simon Koolwijk

Welcome!

I am an international consultant, specialised in building capacities of organisations and people. I worked for 3 1/2 years in Kenya, and since 1997 I have my own consultancy guiding international development projects over more than 20 countries. I am a Certified Professional Facilitator through IAF.Through this weblog I would like to share my experiences and keep you updated what keeps me busy at the moment. And in case you like to share and exchange, you are welcome to join!Hereby view my profile!